ICRF announces major funding initiative

The Imperial Cancer Research Fund this week announced plans to expand its research in Oxford and take advantage of Oxford's outstanding record in cancer research. Its investment in the University will rise substantially from the present figure of over £5 million with additional capital investments of several million pounds. Areas set to expand under these proposals include translational research at the Clinical Research Centre at the Churchill Hospital and the Molecular Oncology Unit at the Institute of Molecular Medicine (IMM). A further substantial sum has been allocated for a new Trials and Epidemiology building at the Churchill Hospital, which will carry out genetic epidemiological research, working closely with ICRF centres across the country. In addition, a specialist team of university researchers will receive substantial funding for a new clinical cancer centre at the Churchill Hospital and the IMM. The team will be headed by Professor Adrian Harris, ICRF Professor of Oncology and Fellow of St Hugh's College, and will conduct research into a wide range of common cancers. The new Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NDCLS) will also benefit from funding for new posts, including an ICRF funded consultant. This new Department came into being on 10 December, formed from the union of the Nuffield Department of Pathology and the Nuffield Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Cellular Sciences, and will be headed by Professor Kevin Gatter, Fellow of St John's College. Three further personal chairs within the NDCLS have been given to Professor David Mason, Professor James Wainscoat, and Professor Bryan Sykes. Professor Gatter said: `The recent substantial funding of the department coincides with the unification of the separate university activities in laboratory sciences on the hospital sites. Along with our recognition by the University and our peers it is a great tribute to the work and dedication of the staff in these departments.' Professors Gatter, Harris, and Mason were recently named as `citation superstars' of the UK by Science Watch magazine. This `league table' comprises the 30 scientists in the UK whose work represents significant and influential activity in the fields of biomedical sciences and physical sciences, and is most frequently cited by colleagues in subsequent publications.